This invention relates in general to a compressor and process of compressing, and more particularly to a positive displacement rotary compressor and process of compressing compressible fluids, such as air and other gases.
At the present time, reciprocating piston and rotary screw compressors dominate the air compressor markets in sizes of up to 150 hp. The valveless, single stage, lubricant flooded and cooled compressor of this invention is a simple, well balanced machine with design, performance and cost advantages over both piston and screw compressors. In particular, the compressor of this invention is a positive displacement machine that combines the following major advantages of:
1. The reciprocating piston compressor-such as simple design utilizing common, inexpensive materials and production techniques, basically reciprocating characteristics of the compression process, good sealing of the compression chambers and high efficiency; and
2. Screw compressors-such as compact, lightweight, single stage, valveless and lubricant flooded and cooled design that is heavy duty, balanced, vibrationless, quiet and reliable in operation.
At the same time, the compressor of this invention is also a design that eliminates the following disadvantages of:
1. The reciprocating piston compressor-reciprocating motion of the pistons and connecting rods, need for suction and discharge valves, bulky and heavy design, slow speed and double stage operation that is required to maintain reasonable discharge temperatures and good efficiency; and
2. Screw compressors-expensive design resulting from precision and costly machining of geometrically complex rotors that require expensive, specialized, single purpose manufacturing equipment, and low efficiency resulting from inherent internal leakage (of air under compression) between the suction and discharge spaces due to a lack of positive sealing between rotors, and between rotors and the housing.
In addition to all above, the compressor of this invention is an improvement over a rotary compressor of my earlier inventions, more fully described in my issued U.S. Pats. No.: 4,135,864; 4,137,021; 4,137,022; 4,174,195 and 4,553,912, all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference, by eliminating the need for the intake and/or discharge valves.